Board of Directors

Board Chair

Following 32-years with Sammons Enterprises and its subsidiaries, Mike retired from the company in 2015. During his career, Mike served as an Executive Member of the Board of Directors of Sammons Enterprises and CEO and President of Briggs International, one of the largest international equipment sales and rental companies.

Mike is a long-term supporter of children and children’s causes dedicated to improving the lives of young people through education. Mr. Winemiller’s engagement with charitable programs has included board memberships with the Sammons Dallas Foundation and North Texas Make-A-Wish Foundation. Currently Mike serves as a board member for Trinity Basin Preparatory and Communities in Schools-Dallas Region, a charity focused on helping at risk students.

Mike graduated from the University of Arkansas with an engineering degree, and he earned an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Mike and his wife Donna, live in Dallas and spend time traveling and exploring the outdoors. He is an avid hiker, mountain and road biker, chef and outdoorsman.

Degrees and Certifications:
University of Arkansas - BS in Engineering
University of Texas at Dallas - MBA

President and CEO

Mr. Shaffer was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Trinity Basin Preparatory in April 2007.

Mr. Shaffer currently serves on the boards of Trinity Basin Preparatory (since 2007), the Region 11 Benefits Co-op (since 2018), and Manara Academy (since 2019). Prior board service includes Arlington Classics Academy (1999-2003) and Trinity Basin Preparatory (board counsel 2002-2007).

Mr. Shaffer is a licensed attorney in the State of Texas, a graduate of the University of Texas at Arlington (B.A., with high honors) and a graduate of the University of Kentucky (J.D., with distinction), where he was Associate Editor of the Kentucky Law Journal. He also holds an Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Governance from the University of Texas at Dallas (2017). Mr. Shaffer’s prior legal practice includes service at Carrington, Coleman, Sloman & Blumenthal, LLP, and Sayles & Lidji, PC, and ten years with his own firm.

Email: rshaffer@trinitybasin.net

Degrees and Certifications:
University of Texas at Arlington - BA
University of Kentucky - JD

Ms. Gomez was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of Trinity Basin Preparatory in April 2004.

She is currently the Parent Liaison for Trinity Basin Preparatory and she previously served as TBP’s Child Nutrition Coordinator.

Ms. Gomez is the parent of a former TBP student, and she also has eight years’ experience in small business lending.

Email: jgomez@trinitybasin.net

Dana Bickford was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of Trinity Basin Preparatory in April, 2016.

Dana currently serves as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Coalition for Behavioral Healthcare in Collin County, a 501(c)(3) corporation with the mission to engage stakeholders in collaboration to assess needs, develop resources, improve outcomes, and educate the public about behavioral healthcare issues.

Dana’s career includes leadership roles in finance, consulting and operations within large financial institutions and corporations. Dana currently serves on the Board of Directors of Financial Executives International – Dallas and in an advisory role to the Licensed Behavioral Health Authority of Collin County.

Dana is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York with a BS and an MBA from the University of Oklahoma.

Degrees and Certifications:
US Military Academy at West Point - BS
University of Oklahoma - MBA

Frederick Brown is currently the Deputy Executive Director for Learning Forward, an international association focused on increasing teacher and leader effectiveness and student results through standards-based professional learning. At Learning Forward, Brown oversees the organization’s annual conference and facilitates its strategic planning process. He also directs Learning Forward’s Academy, an extended learning experience that models the organization's vision for professional learning and teamwork in schools.

Prior to his appointment at Learning Forward, Brown was a Senior Program Officer at The Wallace Foundation. Before joining Wallace, Brown was Director of the Leadership Academy and Urban Network for Chicago (LAUNCH), an organization whose mission was to identify, train, and support principals for the Chicago Public Schools. He has also served as an elementary school teacher and principal as well as a middle school assistant principal.

Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and secondary mathematics from the University of Toledo and a master’s degree in education administration and supervision from Bowling Green State University.

Degrees and Certifications:
University of Toledo - BA in Elementary Education and Secondary Mathematics
Bowling Green State University - MA in Education Administration and Supervision

Ms. Sanks was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of Trinity Basin Preparatory in November of 2023.

As a mother of five and wife of an educator, Ms. Sanks believes that building relationships with the people directly involved with her children's education is the best way for her to be confident in their safety and learning. She desires to be an advocate for all TBP students, families, and staff in order for TBP to continue being an excellent school district and teaching environment. As a TBP parent, Ms. Sanks is involved with the Titan Academy PTO and loves to support the staff to make sure they know how much they are appreciated.

Ms. Sanks has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interior Design from Louisiana Tech University and practiced commercial design in Dallas for six years before staying home with her children full time. She is the founder and president of Respite Ranch, which provides free retreats to adoptive and foster parents.